Review of Shimmer by Alyson Noël

Thanks to Pan Macmillan for sending out a copy for me to review!

Alyson Noël is a well-known author of teen books, including the bestselling IMMORTALS series.  Shimmer is the second book in a spin-off from the IMMORTALS series, creating a new series of Riley Bloom novels which are aimed at younger readers (10+).

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** What the back of the book says **

Riley Bloom is starting to get to drips with being dead. OK, so she’ll never turn thirteen, but she can manifest anything she desires.  And, after her first success as a Soul Catcher, she’s finally got her ‘glow’ on.  Then she meets Rebecca – a furious ghost who is trapped on Earth, desperate to seek revenge for her own death – and Riley’s determined to help her, even if it means defying her cute-but-annoying guide, Bodhi, and breaking all the rules….

** What I thought **

This book is a little hard to review as it is aimed at readers of 10+, and being a few too many years older than that myself, it is difficult to know exactly what a 10 year old would think of this.  However, I think it is an engaging read and certainly kept me interested so is something I would absolutely recommend. 

For me, it was like reading a short story, and an enjoyable one.  Riley Bloom is 12 years old, and Alyson Noël has perfectly captured that in her writing style.  Yes, she is a little annoying but I think that is how Noël has captured her immaturity.  (Dark Readers got it spot on in the review when they said ‘she well and truly gets the cocky, annoying slightly sarcastic, wannabe teen right’).  As a character, she grew on me and I think she grows as a person as well throughout the book; she seems to mature as the book progresses to deal with slavery, murder and a lot of built up rage.  Noël deals with these issues well, and the book has some deep messages centering on love and forgiveness.

I hadn’t read the first in this series, Radiance, but I would certainly pick up the next book in this series as an enjoyable light read.  There is a lead up to the next book in Shimmer, and the premise of the next book (based on being able to deliver messages to your loved ones through their dreams) intrigues me.  I’ll also definitely be looking out for Alyson Noël’s other works aimed at teens, and absolutely definitely her adult novel Fly me to the Moon.

Noël is certainly a talented author to watch out for.  The dramatic rights for both the Immortals and the Riley Bloom series’ have been bought by Summit Entertainment, best known for creating the Twilight films. This good me the next big sensation to hit our cinema screens….!

** Shimmer is published on 5^th August **